Youth Research Unit

Welcome to the Youth Research Unit’s webpage at the University of Ottawa Institute of Mental Health Research!

The IMHR Youth Research Unit was created in January 2003. The main areas of research are eating disorders, anxiety disorders, and mood disorders in children and adolescents. The research aims at identifying the risk and resilience factors involved in the onset and maintenance of these disorders, and investigating the mechanisms of action of effective treatments. Research is community-based (e.g., study of risk and protective factors for eating and weight disorders in high school students) or based on the assessment and treatment of referred patients (e.g., biological and psychological correlates of anxiety disorders in adolescents, and their changes with psychological or pharmacological treatment). Through collaboration with various local, national and international agencies, the unit also investigates and promotes evidence-based treatment and prevention strategies for children and adolescents with mental health issues.